ISIL-K bolsters Kabul positions
Taliban fighters may join ISIS affiliate
THE UN Security Council, currently being presided over by India, has declared that it does “not support the restoration of the Islamic Emirate” in Afghanistan as it expressed deep concern over the high levels of violence in the war-torn country following the Taliban stepping up its military offensive.
United Nations, Aug. 4: Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant–Khorasan has expanded its presence in several provinces of Afghanistan and strengthened its positions in and around Kabul, a report by UN chief Antonio Guterres said, highlighting risks that militants from the Taliban may join the ISIS affiliate if they feel “threatened” by developments in the Afghan peace process. The 13th report of the SecretaryGeneral Guterres on the threat posed by ISIL to international peace and security, issued Tuesday, said that “Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant–Khorasan has expanded its presence in several provinces of Afghanistan, despite leadership, human and financial losses during 2020.
“The group has strengthened its positions in and around Kabul, where it targets most of its attacks against minorities, civil society actors, government employees and personnel of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces.”
The UNSG report added that in its efforts to regroup and rebuild, ISIS in Afghanistan has prioritised the recruitment and training of new supporters.
“Its leaders also hope to attract intransigent Taliban and other militants who reject the agreement between the United States and the Taliban and to recruit fighters from Iraq, the Syrian Arab Republic and other conflict zones.
“Estimates of the affiliate’s strength range widely, with one Member State reporting between 500 and 1,500 fighters, and another stating that it may rise to as many as 10,000 in the medium term. One Member State reported that ISIS in Afghanistan is largely underground and clandestine,” the report said.
India, President of the UN Security Council for the month of August, will host a signature event on counter-terrorism on August 19. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will chair the high-level event to discuss the UN Chief ’s report on ISIL.
The report said the evolution of ISIS and its affiliates, including their regional expansion in West, East and Central Africa, continued violent action in Afghanistan and an increasing online presence, highlights the need for the Member States to adopt comprehensive and integrated counter-terrorism approaches.
“Strengthened national, regional and international counter-terrorism efforts are essential, in particular in view of the similar vulnerabilities of some States in those regions,” it said.